I Need My Buddy

I have heard a reoccurring whisper throughout the studio lately. With the new term just around the corner, many women are registering for classes. The whisper I continue to hear goes something like this, “Well I can’t do that class, because my friend is not in that class.” Or I have even heard,” Well so so couldn’t make it, so I just didn’t go.”  I understand the comfort of having a friend in class, but I always find myself thinking, “do you know that everyone here is ready and willing to support you?”  You don’t need one specific friend in class in order to be successful. You are successful, because you came to the studio in the first place!
At one point, I was even one of those people. Years ago, I heard many women talking about pole dancing for bachelorette parties and some even as their fitness program. I wanted to take a class so bad, but I did not have friend to take it with. I let not having a friend to go with me stop me from finding my love of pole for two whole years!!!! Could you imagine where I would be today if I would have stopped relying on needing someone else to attempt something new?!?!? Finally, I made the brave decision and signed up for my first pole term BY MYSELF!
My goal here is not to make you think having a workout buddy is bad, because countless studies have proven that they provide wonderful support! What I am trying to tell you is that when you attend classes at Aerial Dance every student and instructor are your workout buddies! At the studio, we take work out buddies to a whole new level. Aerial Dance provides you with a workout community! I want to tell you how this community saved me.

My Story

One of my favorite things in life is to share with people my love of Aerial Dance. I honestly love the studio and the community of women it has created. The best way for me to share with you the kind of community Aerial Dance has created is to tell you my story.
Two years ago, I was in a mentally and verbally abusive relationship. I had been with my boyfriend for almost five years. Right around Halloween our relationship took a turn for the worse. The abuse went from verbally and mentally, to physical. I had found out that he was cheating. For finding out, he beat me.  I had bruises around my neck, my head, arms, and legs. He had even pulled my hair out to the point I had a bald spot. I was a mess. My whole world had just come crashing down and I finally had a reality check.
At that time, I was still pretty new to the studio and did not know many people. I was embarrassed and ashamed of what I had let happen to me. It wasn’t long before, I found myself in a downward spiral. Thankfully, someone I had met only a few times at the studio stepped in. She didn’t know me very well, but she had noticed that the bright shining light that came out within me at the studio was gone. She noticed that my smile was almost nonexistent and my enthusiasm for working had vanished. This person did something amazing that day. She said, “I don’t know your situation, but if you need a someone to talk to I am here for you.” That was all it took for me to truly understand the type of community Aerial Dance was building. In this space, I was safe and I could rebuild the broken woman I had become.

Aerial Dance’s Community

Aerial Dance has built a sanctuary for women of all ages, shapes, and sizes. This is one of the many reasons why I feel that it is so important to have community like ours to work out in. Each women is strong and beautiful in their own ways. Those strengths and that beauty is reflected in how each women treats one another at the studio. Like I said before, we are all each others work out buddies. We all are striving to reach our goals and to help others reach theirs. We build each other up, when so many women focus on breaking each other down.
When taking a class at Aerial Dance, it is a safe space to share the happy parts and crappy parts of life. There have been countless times that I have laughed until I have cried in the middle of the workout, and there have been times where we have stopped class to show love and support. Aerial Dance’s Community helps women to establish and understand the importance of self worth to build women up.
The community of women at Aerial Dance are strong and supportive. It is blessing to have this type of community in a cities of Appleton and Green Bay! There are countless reasons why I have been with Aerial Dance for almost five years. What keeps me coming back are the ladies and the environment of the studio. It really has very little to do with the actual classes I take.
Many women at Aerial Dance have made an astounding impact on my life. I wouldn’t know where to begin to thank them all. I try to share my “thanks” by repaying the favor. To repay my thanks, I do this by giving other women a hand up, whether that is physical hand or an emotional hand. I do this because at Aerial Dance, we are all family and all are welcome!